Coin chute



Feb. 9, 1943. w, ER HAL 2,310,596

COIN CHUTE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 Tam/man? Willianvfagev Waltec A. Tz'a fiscfi/ THE/R Arron/var Patented Feb. 9, 1943 COIN CHUTE William Patzer and Walter A. Tratsch, Chicago, 111.

Application August 14, 1941, .Serial No. 406,848

8 Claims.

This invention relates to coin testing mechanism and has for its principal object the provision of certain novel improvements in the magnetic testing system which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and highly economical in use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a magnetic means in testing systems for coin testing mechanism which magnetic means will be effective only upon deposit of a coin and will be normally ineiiective at all other times.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin testing means by the use of electromagnets which will be positive and constant in operation dependent upon the insertion of a coin, token or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety feature whereby the electromagnetic testing means controlled by deposited coins will be rendered ineffective after a predetermined length of time, should the electromagnetic means stay a coin of improper metallic characteristics.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a device for returning coins in the event the electromagnetic means is rendered ineffective for operation and for permitting the passage of coin elements should the electromagnetic means be eiiective for operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the present invention residing in certain details of construction, arrangement and operation of parts will become apparent as the description proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the gate side of the coin chute embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail view looking down from line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the opposite side of the chute shown in Fig. 1 with one corner thereof partly broken away; and

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of an electrical circuit forming a part of the present invention.

For the purpose of expediency we have shown the present invention incorporated in a gravity Such chutes usually include a main body in the form of a mounting plate Hi having a front wall il spaced therefrom and mounted with respect thereto to provide a coin passage [2. The coin passage I2 is provided with an entrance l3 at its upper edge into which coins are adapted to be deposited for gravitation along certain trajectories, under the control of certain testing means later to be explained, which determine the movement of the coins through the coin passage in accordance with their physical and electroconductive characteristics. In this regard the chute is provided with an open bottom at the lowermost edge of the coin passage which is divided by a laterally extending bafile 49 into two separate exit openings. One of such exit openings being indicated at [4, is adapted to receive valid or accepted coins, while the other exit opening indicated at l5 provides an exit for invalid, spurious or rejected coins such as fail to pass the necessary coin test.

In the coin chute illustrated in the drawing, the front wall II is hingedly mounted as at l6 upon mounting lugs ll struck up from the plate l0 and has a suitable guiding means l8 carried on its inner wall within the coin passage l2, beneath the entrance 3 to provide a means for conveying a deposited coin toward a testing means generally indicated at 20, now to be explained.

The testing means includes a pair of electromagnets 2| and 22, the latter of which is mounted upon the rear face of the main plate I0 by pressing an extended end portion of its core 24 through an opening 26 formed in the plate ID. The electromagnet 2| is mounted in a like manner on an auxiliary front wall I9 which is hingedly mounted on the lugs i! with the main front wall I I, the latter of which has an opening 25 formed therein so that the auxiliary wall 19 will lie flush with the wall II. The core 23 of electromagnet 2i extends through the wall I9 directly opposite to the core 24 of electromagnet 22, each of the cores 23 and 24 having their faces flush with the inner wall of the coin passage 12 to permit movement of coins therealong.

The coin testing means also includes a coinoperated trip lever 2'! pivotally mounted as at 28 on the front wall H and having the upper edge of its opposite end bent at right angles to provide an inclined ledge 29. This ledge 29 extends through a slot formation 30 in the wall H and is adapted to receive coins from the guiding means 18 and to convey such coins in a path of movement between the pole pieces of the cores 23 and 24 of the electromagnets 2| and 22. The lever 21 has a leg 3| depending radially from the pivot mounting 28, which leg 3| provides a hook 32 to which is attached one end of a light coil spring 33 having its opposite end anchored as at 34 to the wall ll. The arrangement is such that the spring 33 normally urges the lever 21 counterclockwise with the ledge 29 thereof bearing against the upper margin 35 of the opening 39 to hold the lever in normal position.

A normally open control switch 39 has electrical connection with each of the coils Sl and 38 of the electromagnets 2| and 22 and is adapted when closed to permit current to flow through the coils 31 and 38, thus setting up a magnetic field in the respective pole pieces or cores 23 and 24. The switch 39 is carried by the wall H in the region of the lever 21, and its operation is determined by the weight of a coin on the ledge 29 of the trip lever 21, which is brought about by reason of the construction of the switch 55 wherein there is provided a pair of contact arms 39-49 interposed one above the other, with the uppermost contact arm 49 having spring bearing upon a short end 4| of an operating lever 52 pivotally mounted as at 43 between a pair of ears on a mounting plate 44 carried above contact '49. The short end 4| of th'e lever 42 is bent back upon itself and provides a contact point 45 adapted to interconnect the contact arm 49 with the point 45 on the contact arm 39 but which contact point 45 is normally out of contact with the point by reason of the spring bearing of the arm 49 upon the short end 4|, thus urging the lever 42 clockwise with its free end engaging an insulated pin 41 extending laterally from the trip lever 21.

;By the foregoing arrangement of parts, it will be obvious that upon deposit of a coin of proper weight, the weight of the coin on the ledge 29 will cause a closing of the switch to instantly set up an electric circuit in the electromagnets 2| and 22, thus providing an electromagnetic field across the path of such deposited coin just as it is about to leave the ledge 29 for further gravitation through the coin passage The field thus produced by the electromagnets creates eddy currents in the coin which reacting with the field influences the movement of the coin as it passes between the poles 23 and 24 such that coins having the metallic characteristics of a valid coin, in the present instance a five-cent piece or nickel, will be induced to follow a certain trajectory toward a rebound anvil 48, located in the lower region of the coin passage. Coins having the metallic consistency of anickel will bound off the anvil 43 over the laterally projecting baffle 49, which divides the exit openings, into the acceptance exit Hi. The baffle 49 is a part of an adjustable mounting plate 50 mounted on the rear wall of the plate 19 (Fig. 4).

The eddy currents produced by the electromagnets 2| and 22 have a different eifect on spurious coins weighing down upon the ledge 29, such invalid coins or slugs being slowed down and clinging to the terminus of the ledge 29 so as to drop down with their center of gravity to the right of the baffle 49 whereupon they are deflected into and through the reject opening |5 for return by any suitable chute, not shown, to the person who deposited the same.

In an operation by a valid coin or an invalid coin, as above described, the particular coin tested eventually leaves the runway ledge 29 in accordance to the influence had upon such coin.

by the magnet. By reason ofthe weight of the coin leaving the ledge 29, the latter and the trip lever 21 are free to return to a normal position by action of the spring 33, whereupon the insulated pin ll will release its pressing engagement upon the lever 42 of the control switch 39 so that the switch 36 can return to normal broken circuit condition. The current then ceases flowing to the coils 3'1 and 58 and. by reason thereof the pole pieces 23 and 24 become demagnetized. Hence it is seen that the electromagnetic test is automatically rendered effective when a coin is in position to be tested and is automatically rendered inefiective when the coin leaves that position.

Occasionally coins or slugs of greater paramagnetic characteristics, such as steel, are deposited into vending machines in which case the steel slugs will become attracted to the magnetized cores 23 and 24 and remain there, thus blocking the chute passage i2. Various methods are employed for removing such coins or slugs from lodgement on the magnets, and in the present disclosure there is employed a scavenger unit described and shown in our aforementioned Patent No. 2,226,873 which comprises a hand-operated lever 59 pivotally mounted as at 5| on the rear face of the plate I9 and having a cam 52 and roller 53 extending through an opening 54 in the plate l9 for engagement with the hinged wall II and a coin sweep 55 whereby when the lever 59 is depressed there results a simultaneous opening of the hinged wall I and a sweeping action by the sweep 55 across the face of the core 24 mounted on the main plate it? to break the steel slug away from the magnetic attraction of such core.

More often than not ithappens that a person who inserts such spurious coins will not bother to operate the scavenger unit and in the case of a steel slug as before explained, the circuit to the electromagnets 2| and 22 would remain alive with a constant flow of current through the coils 31 and 38. Should such flowage of current continue for any length of time the coils 31 and 38 would heat up and eventually burn out. To overcome this objectionable feature there is provided in conjunction with our automatic coin testing means a safety device for automatically breaking the circuit to the electromagnets 2| and '22 when the line reaches a predetermined heat.

The safety cut-off comprises a thermostatic switch 56 mounted in any suitable location on the coin chute and interposed in the main circuit to the electromagnets 2| and 22 so that current flows through this switch 55 in the ordinary operation of the testing device. In the present embodiment we find it desirable to position the switch 56 on the rear side of the main plate In (see Fig. 4). The switch comprises the usual pair of leaf spring switch arms 51 and 58 disposed to flex toward and away from the main body of the chute with one of said arms 51, nearest the chute body, being longer than the others. This switch arm 51 is of a physical character such as 'toflex into the dotted line position (Fig. 3) where the two switch arms 5? and-58 will be out of contact with each other. However, this switch arm is normally disposed in contact with its corresponding switch arm 58 by reason of a step latch 59 which is normally set with the leaf spring-51 bearing on its second ledge S (Fig. 2). The step latch 59 is formed at one end and as a part of a heat-sensitive strip of metal 59 having its opposite end anchored on the mounting bracket 6| for the switch 55. A thermal coil 62 is wound about the body of the strip 69 and is tapped into the main circuit for the electromagnets so ast'o transmit heat from such circuit to the heatsensitive strip 60. When the heat in the circuit reaches a predetermined degree, the strip 60 will arch in a direction away from the switch arms 51 and 58 until the second step S on the latch 59 passes out of engagement with the leaf spring 51, thus releasing the latter for movement into position (dotted line Fig. 3) to break circuit through the thermal switch 56 and thereupon deenergize the electromagnets 2i and 22 before-the heat becomes dangerous or capable of burning out the coils 31 and 38.

By reason of the magnetic field having been dissipated as aforesaid, a steel slug will be released and will fall almost directly off the terminus of the ledge 29, it having lost the necessary momentum to carry it over to the rebound anvil 48. Such steel slugs will therefore exit through the reject opening I5.

The present device is especially adapted to operate conjointly with a coin deflector for returning coins to a vendee, which coin return defiector comprises a lever 63 pivotally mounted as at 64 on the rear wall of the plate H] with an extension 65 thereof passing through an opening 66 in the plate ID to dispose the member 65 in the path of coins which follow the trajectory followed by a valid coin. By this arrangement, all coins pasing through the device would be exited at the reject opening l5 because even valid coins would not be permitted to reach the anvil 48 but rather would be deflected into the return opening l5. Such circumstances would be desirable in cases where the merchandise of the vending machine is entirely depleted, in which case the removal of the last merchantable article would release a switch 61 to break circuit to the main line 68 (Fig. 5), thus rendering the circuit to the electromagnets 2| and 22 inoperative regardless of the character of a deposited coin, it being understood that as long as there is a merchantable article in the vending machine, the switch would remain closed. The deflector member 65 in the normal operation of our present device would be withdrawn from the coin passage each time the electromagnet 22 is energized. This is accomplished by providing a curved tail portion 69 on the lever 63 and by mounting over the electromagnet 22 a U-shaped strap having its bight portion connected to the core 24 by means of a screw ll. Now each time a coin of sufiicient weight gravitates down the ledge 29 and the electromagnet 22 is energized as aforesaid, the U-shaped strap 10 becomes a "horseshoe magnet and will attract the tail 69, thus rocking the lever 53 to withdraw the deflector 65. The lever 63 will, upon deenergization of the electromagnet 22, return by gravity to normal position, as shown. However, the descending coins will have passed the position of the deflector 65 before it has yet returned, thus assuring operation of the chute in so far as valid coins are concerned.

The deflector 65 will be especially useful in preventing light coins, that is, coins of insufficient weight to effect operation of the magnetic testing means, from reaching the rebound anvil 48 and thus will assure the return of such lightweight coins through the reject exit [5.

Each time the scavenger lever 50 is depressed as aforesaid to clear the chute of any foreign matter, a cam 12 carried by the lever 50 is likewise depressed to engage a roller 13 carried at the upper end of a lever '14 pivotally mounted as at 15 on a bracket carried on the plate. 10, to rock the latter in a counterclockwise direction,

Fig. 4. The lower end of the lever 14 is coated with an insulating material 16 which bears against the free end of the leaf spring 51 when the latter has been released as aforesaid, and by reason of the counter-clockwise rocking movement the leaf spring 5'! will be flexed into a position while the now cooled heat-sensitive strip 6| will be permitted to return to normal position to dispose the latch step 59 with its second ledge S in engagement with the leaf switch 51, thus reestablishing the circuit through the switch 56 so that a newly deposited coin will operate the control switch 36 for effecting operation of the electromagnets 2| and 22.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin testing apparatus comprising a body providing a coin passage, electromagnetic means carried by said body and having communication with the passage for magnetically affecting the movement of a magnetically attractable token through the passage and including an electric circuit, switch means in said circuit, means including a member disposed in the passage where said electromagnetic means communicates with said passage, said member being disposed to guide a token for gravital movement along said passage and adapted to be actuated by the weight of said token thereon to operate said switch means, and heat resisting means for breaking the said circuit should said token be stayed on said member.

2. A coin testing apparatus comprising a body providing a coin passage, electromagnetic means carried by said body and having communication with the passage for magnetically affecting the movement of a magnetically attractable token through the passage and including an electric circuit, switch means in said circuit, means including a member operatively connected to said switch means and pivotally supported on the body and having a portion thereof disposed in the passage to support a token for gravital movement adjacent said electromagnetic means, said member being actuated by the weight of said token thereon to operate said switch means, means for pivotally mounting said pivotal memher on said body, cut-off means for breaking said circuit should said token be stayed on said pivotally mounted member, said cut-01f means comprising a safety switch arranged in said circuit and normally disposed in circuit breaking condition, and thermal responsive latch means for holding said safety switch in circuit completing condition and adapted, when the temperature of said circuit reaches a predetermined degree of heat, to release said safety switch for return to normal disposition.

3. In a coin testing apparatus comprising a body providing a coin passage, electromagnetic means carried by said body and having communication with the passage for magnetically affecting the movement of a magnetically attractable token through the passage, the combination of means for rendering said testing apparatus effective and including an electric cir cuit, switch meansin said circuit, a member having means engaging said switchmeans to operate the latter, said member being pivotally supported on said body and having a portion disposed in the passage where the latter co'mmunicates with said'electromagnetic means ror guiding tokens alongthe passage and adapted to be actuated by the weight of said token thereon to operate said switch means, means for pivoting said pivotal member to said body, and means for normally urging said pivotally mounted member opposite to the movement of said pivotally mounted member by the weight'of a to'ken thereon, cut-oh means for breaking the said circuit should said token be stayed on said pivotally mounted member, said cut-off means comprising a safety switch arranged in said circuit and normally biased into circuit breaking conditionand a thermally controlled latch means for holding said safety switch in circuit completing condition and adapted, when the temperature of said circuit reachesa predetermined degree of heat, to release said safety switch for return'to normal condition, and hand-operated lever means for biasing said safety switch into latched engagement with said latch means.

4. In a coin testing apparatus comprising a body providing a coin passage, electromagnetic means carried by said body and having communication with the passage for magnetically afiecting the movement of a magnetically attractable token through the passage, the combination of means for rendering said electromagnetic means effective for the purpose aforesaid and including an electric circuit, switch means in said circuit, a member operatively connected 'to said switch means and having a portion disposed in thepassage and over which said token passes and adapted-to be actuated by the weight of said token thereon to operate said switch means, a normally open safety switch arranged insaid circuit for breaking the said circuit should said token-be stayed on said member, thermal sensitive'latch means for said safety switch nor many biasingthelatter into closed circuit conditionand including a resistance coil arranged in said circuit'and adapted, when the temperature of'said circuit reaches a'predetermined degree of heat, to release said safety switch for movement into normal open condition, and means pivotally mounted on said body for normally blocking passage of tokens or coins through said passage, said means including a magnetically attracted member disposed adjacent said electromagnetic device and adapted to-be magnetic all'y attracted by said last-named device when the circuit thereof is energized for pivotal moveme'nt from said blocking position in said pass'age.

5. -A coin testing apparatus comprising a body providing a coin'passage, electromagnetic means carried by said body and having communication with the passage for magnetically afiecti'ng the movement of a magnetically attractable token through'the passage and including an electric circuit, switch means in said circuit, means including a member operatively connected to said switch means and pivotally supportedon the body and having a portion disposed in the passage to support a token for gravital'movement adjacent said electromagnetic means, said memher being actuated by the weight of said token thereon-to operate: said switch means,;meansfor pivotally mounting said pivotal member on said body, cut off means for breaking the said .cir-

cuit should said token 'be stayed 'on said pivotally mounted member and including a safety switch arranged in said circuit and normally disposed in circuit breaking condition, a theral responsive latch means for holding said safety switch in circuit completing condition and a resistance coil tapped into said circuit and adapted to'm'ove said'thermal responsive latch means out of latching engagement with said safety switch when thetemperature of said circuit attains :a predetermined degree of heat, and means pivotally mounted on said body for normally blocking passage of tokens or coins through saidpassage, said 'meansincluding a magnetically attracted member disposed adjacent said electromagnetic device and adapted to be magnetically attracted by said last-named device when the circuit thereof is energized for pivotal movement from said blocking position in said passage.

6. In a coin testing apparatus comprising a body providing a coin passage, electromagnetic means carried by said body and having communication with the passage for magnetically affecting the movement of a magnetically attractable token through the passage, the provision of means for rendering said testing means effective for testing'coins, said means including, in combination, an electric circuit, switch means in said circuit, means including a member operatively connected to said switch means and pivotally supported by the body and having a portion disposed in the passage to guide tokens to a'pointbeyond said electromagnetic means and adapted to be actuated by the weight of said token thereon -to operate said switch means, means for pivoting said pivotal member to said body, and means normally urging said pivotally mounted member opposite to the movement of saidpivotally -mounted member by the weight -'ofa token thereon, cut-01f means for breaking the said circuit should said token be stayed on said pivotally mounted member, and means pivotally mounted on said'body for normally blocking passage of tokens or coins through said passage, said means including a magnetically attracted member disposed adjacent said electromagnetic device and adapted to be magnetically attracted by said last-named device when the circuit'thereof is energized'for pivotal movement from said blocking position in said passage.

'7. In a control means for coin-operated testing means comprising a body providing a coin passage and electromagnetic means arranged on the body with pole pieces exposed intothe passage 'for magnetically affecting the movement of magnetically attractable tokens along said body and having a portion thereof extending into said passage beneath the electromagnetic means to guide coins between the pole pieces thereof, said'lever being depressed by the weight of a coin thereon and including pin means engaging sad switch means for urging the latter into circuit completing condition for the purpose aforesaid/a safety switch arranged in said circuit and normally adapted to assume a circuit breaking condition, a thermo sensitive latch means normally disposed to hold said safety switch in circuit completing condition and including i a heater coil having terminals connected to said circuit and adapted, after a magnetically attractable token is stayed on said lever by the electromagnetic means for a predetermined lapse of time, to release said safety switch to break said circuit as aforesaid.

8. In a control means for coin-operated testing means comprising a body providing a coin passage and electromagnetic means arranged on the body with pole pieces exposed into the passage for magnetically afiecting the movement of magnetically attractable tokens along predetermined trajectories toward a reject or acceptance exit according to their metallic characteristics and including an electrical circuit and a switch means for energizing the electromagnetic means, said control means comprising the combination of a lever pivotally mounted on said body and having a portion thereof extending into said passage beneath the electromagnetic means to guide coins between the pole pieces thereof, said lever being depressed by the weight of a coin thereon and including pin means engaging said switch means for urging the latter into circuit completing condition for the purpose aforesaid, a safety switch arranged in said circuit and normally adapted to assume a circuit breaking condition, a thermo sensitive latch means normally disposed to hold said safety switch in circuit completing condition and including a heater coil having terminals connected to said circuit and adapted, after a magnetically attractable token is stayed on said lever by the electromagnetic means for a predetermined lapse of time, to release said safety switch to break said circuit as aforesaid, and blocking means pivotally .mounted on said body beneath the electromagnetic means and having a pin at one end normally disposed in said passage to deflect all coins descending from the terminal of said lever toward the reject opening, said blocking means having a tail portion on its opposite end and in the region of the magnetic field produced by the electromagnetic means whereby when said electromagnetic means is energized as aforesaid said blocking means is rocked in a direction to withdraw the pin at one end out of said passage to permit coins to follow said predetermined trajectories.

WILLIAM PATZER. WALTER A. TRATSCH. 

